This invention relates to liquid holders, and in particular to a combination nightlight and warmer controller for substances such as hand lotions, creams, liquids, and the like.
A common problem with using hand lotion when going to bed is that the lotion is sometimes cool and uncomfortable when being applied. This problem is further compounded in cold climates when the lotion has been stored in a bathroom cabinet. Over the years several proposals have been made to warm liquids in receptacle devices. Similar problems occur with other types of substances such as creams, moisturizers, liquids, and the like.
Traditional nightlights such as plug-ins used adjacent to beds and/or in bathrooms are generally limited to only providing a light source and do not function for other purposes. Additionally, nightlights generally turn off when optical sensors indicate that daylight as occurred. Thus, traditional nightlights can have a short lifespan since they run continuously throughout the night.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,604,573 to Raines et al. describes a combination nightlight and bottle warmer. However, this unit is limited to only holding one bottle at a time, and not several lotions and creams that may be desirable to be warmed by the user. Additionally, short containers of liquids, creams or lotions would slip far into the tall housing of Raines et al., and be difficult to retrieve. Furthermore, this nightlight must be manually turned on and off.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,057,671 to Colson describes a solution-warming unit which can also be used as a nightlight. However, this unit is limited to cylindrical openings, in particular to xe2x80x9c4(2 ⅝xe2x80x9d) holes(in the lid portion) . . . to house the necessary 4(16 oz.) bottles . . . xe2x80x9d, and a wide open space underneath the lid portion, column 2, lines 34+. Thus, this unit is limited to being able up to only four xe2x80x9c(16oz.)xe2x80x9d cylindrical type bottles. Although Colson describes being able to also insert xe2x80x9c4 oz.xe2x80x9d Bottles, a side door is required to be opened and closed in addition to having the plural openings on the top portion. If a user tries to insert and/or retrieve the smaller bottles through the lid portion, the shorter and smaller containers can easily become lost in the wide open space underneath the lid portion. Furthermore, this nightlight must also be manually turned on and turned off.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,248,870 to Redal describes a unit similar to Colson ""671 but with a cylindrical insert. Similar to Colson ""671, this unit is also limited to storing one size of a bottle, and is not useable different height and sizes of containers holding liquids, lotions and creams that are used. Additionally, this device also does not teach more than manually turning on or off a nightlight.
Other patents known to the inventor that also fail to overcome the deficiencies of the above cited references include U.S. Pat. No. 1,805,291 to Monnot; U.S. Pat. No. 4,700,048 to Levy; U.S. Pat. No. 5,700,991 to Osbern; and U.S. Pat. No. 5,906,763 to Warren Van Deventer Wheeler.
Additionally, all of the prior art devices do not allow the user to control either or both the light intensity of the nightlight and the heat settings. Users desiring to heat some lotions to different degree settings have not control over the heating temperatures or the length of time that heating is to take place. Furthermore, none of the prior art devices allow the user to automatically shut off the heating and/or nightlight modes. Thus, these prior art devices may constitute a safety hazard if the heating units are left one too long. Also, too long heating could burn and ruin the lotions, creams and liquids being warmed, and can ultimately destroy expensive lotions, creams, and liquids over time. Thus, the need exists for solutions to the problems of the prior art described above.
The first objective of the invention is to provide a device for both heating liquid containers and for providing a nightlight.
The second objective of the invention is to provide a device with a single opening in a lid portion for receiving and heating several size containers of liquids, lotions, and creams of various sizes and shapes simultaneously.
The third objective of the invention is to provide a device for controlling the light intensity of the nightlight that is also used to heat various containers of liquids, lotions and creams.
The fourth objective of the invention is to provide a device for selectively controlling the temperature heating settings of a light that is used to heat containers of liquids, lotions and creams, where the light is also used as a nightlight.
The fifth objective of the invention is to provide a device for both heating containers of liquids, lotions, creams, and the like, and for also providing a nightlight, where the light and/or heat source can be selectively turned on and off at selected times.
The sixth objective of the invention is to provide a device for both heating containers of substances and for providing a nightlight, which as a safety control for deactivating the device after a preselected period of time.
The seventh objective of the invention is to provide a device for both heating containers of substances and for providing a nightlight, which adjusts the heating source and nightlight to a lower setting automatically after a preselected period of time.
The eighth objective of the invention is to provide a device for both heating containers of substances and for providing a night light having an alarm such as a visual light and/or a sound that alerts the user when a selected heating time and/or temperature has been achieved.
A preferred embodiment of the invention allows for a device to have an opening in a lid portion of a receptacle for allowing various sized containers such as but not limited to tubes, flasks, bottles, jars, and cylindrical containers to be inserted therein, and be able to easily removed by the user. A grid underneath the receptacle separates the receptacle from a housing that stores a heating and lighting source therein. The heating and light source can be an incandescent bulb, and the like. Controls such as a rheostat allow for setting various intensity and temperature settings. A timer allows for activating and deactivating the intensity and temperature settings. Visual and/or audible alarms can occur after a selected time period has occurred. The novel receptacle device can be powered by a standard AC(alternating current) outlet and allows the user to place one or more containers of liquid such as hand lotion, creams, and the like, in the upper opening of the device.
Further objects and advantages of this invention will be apparent from the following detailed description of a presently preferred embodiment which is illustrated schematically in the accompanying drawings.